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Martin James award-winning fisherman consultant,broadcaster,writer





  

07/01/2015 - Bait and Other Things

Cleaning off a fresh batch of gentles

Over the past few years I’ve been getting more angry with the poor quality of gentles I’ve been offered in some tackle shops up and down the country, having said that I have also been able to get good quality gentles showing some feed spot which is important as they are likely to be fresh and not change too casters within a few days, I also want bait that have been well cleaned and sold as a full pint with nothing added unless asked. Tadley Angling in Berkshire, Wye Angling Ross-on-Wye, Woodies at Hereford and Wayne’s Tackle in Preston have all met my requirements. Recently I was in Wayne’s Tackle Blanche street Preston as he cleaned off a fresh batch of gentles see pics IMG 0733 & IMG 0734. The shop is clean well illuminated with lots of tackle and accessories on show, in fact I reckon there was something for all coarse anglers. See pic IMG 0738 I was able to purchase all the small items I wanted on the day including some sensible rod rests that had a brass bush not the silly plastic ones I see on many items of tackle today. See pic IMG 0746

Recently I had to return a Korum folding 30 inch net which had a steel thread inserted into the plastic spreader block, after just a few weeks though I do fish most days, The thread was always coming out of the spreader block when unscrewing the net from the handle. Eventually on every trip the steel thread came apart from the spreader block, I wasn’t a happy person as eventually it ended what I’d hoped would be a good days angling. Yes Carter’s of Preston changed the net without question but it shouldn’t have happened, I don’t blame Carters the seller but the wholesaler. No doubt another product made in China, I well remember when Redditch was the home of the fishing tackle industry, lets return to quality tackle made in the UK, yes it might cost a bit more but at least it would help keep British workers in a job. Examples of quality products are Lone Angler luggage rods and accessories, JW Young centre pin reels and Harrison’s of Liverpool rods, I’ve visited all three companies in the past few years, where I was impressed with the products they produced or stocked. No doubt if you purchased a bait bucket some years ago from Double T now Lone Angler you are still using the product as I am such is the good quality.

London Anglers Association- Britford Fishery

If you have an ambition of catching a 2lb roach then the next few weeks are probably the best time of catching that dream fish and a river venue would be my choice, one such place would be one of the great river fishing venues in the country the Hampshire Avon close to Salisbury, the Britford water controlled by the London Anglers Association, day permits cost just £10-00, a season permit only £65-00 excellent value for money, the river keeper is Stuart Wilson a very knowledgeable guy. You want find a better river keeper. The LAA in 1965 had the foresight to purchase the fishery for I believe £65,000-00 which included a house. It probably cost £1-00 for each member of the association in those days. Today I suppose that fishery would fetch millions. It’s not only a great roach fishery but excellent chub, dace, perch grayling, pike and trout, these day you also have the chance of catching a double figure barbel. I’ve fished the Avon since 1953 and still enjoy my days on this magnificent river, last year I visited the venue with Alan Roe of Blackpool, his ambition was to catch a 2lb roach, he achieved that aim with a fish of 2 lb 1 ounce on his second day getting some excellent advice from Charlie Kemett, probably one of the great roach anglers of modern times, during a one day session last winter Charlie caught 6 X 2lb plus roach in a catch of 30 plus quality roach, I watched the man in action that day which proved to be a Master class in trotting a river thirty plus yards and catching quality fish. See pics IMG 0418 Charlie was catching his roach close to the bridge in the distance, a good feat of angling

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The finished product

The shop is clean well illuminated with lots of tackle and accessories on show, in fact I reckon there was something for all coarse anglers.

Sensible rod rests that had a brass bush not the silly plastic ones I see on many items of tackle today.

Charlie was catching his roach close to the bridge in the distance, a good feat of angling

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Martin James Fishing
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